Friday, March 14, 2008

To evaluateIt's harder than I thought. We had this guideline that goes on forever, it's hard to evaluate while our peers are doing the microteaching, and it's even harder to to do it after they are done because we would have forgotten half of what they were teaching. I now have a profound respect for lecturers who evaluate their students during the practical. It's indeed hard to keep up.

To be evaluatedWhen all eyes are on you, judging you and waiting for you to screw up, while you are doing your microteaching, you can't help but feeling nervous although you are of high confidence. On the other hand, knowing that you're evaluated pushes you to the max to do your best - not giving anyone a chance to see your flaws. I'd accept to be evaluated any time.

I just don't get it. Maybe its the lusty Blanche. But it couldn't be a vehicle for Blanche to fulfill her sexual desires. The play should be called a Streetcar Named Downfall, that'd would be like, so duh, that's exactly what the story is about. Maybe Tennessee Williams wanted to be subtle. Anyway, I am still trying to find a connection between the title and the theme of the story. By the way, there is one part in scene 1 where Stanley asks Stella to catch the meat. It obviously shows the caveman complex 'me-man-me-bring-meat', but in the analysis at Sparknotes.com, this throwing meat activity has sexual connotation. I admit that I can be very dirty minded, but, not in this case. So, if anyone is more dirty minded than me, please fill me in, okay.

I have just finished reading Mahesh Dattani's 30 Days in September. And I have to say that he is really one bold man to convey the theme of sexual abuse and incest. Yes, we do know that sexual abuse is a painful experience, not to mention traumatic, but Mahesh boldy inserts one element that nobody dares to speak of. This my friend, is the PLEASURE that these abused children do feel. Mala portrays the traumatized woman who because of the recurrent abuse, her brain circuit is programed to actually like to be abused, making her psychological unable to love people genuinely without getting abuse sexually. This pleasure is indeed a taboo in society for we would have not expected that sexually abused children actually enjoy it. This is of course, although sickening, it is very prevalent issue in the world today, where paedophiles seem to be cropping up as we speak.

Cleopatra thinks Antony is going to be furious with her for abandoning him. Cleopatra feigns death so that Antony would not be furious. But plan goes wrong, Antony tried to kill himself. He died in Cleopatra's arms. Cleopatra kills herself.This is similar to the story of the boy who cried wolf. Inject a little bit of drama, everything goes wrong. Sometimes I think people during Cleopatra and Antony's time are lacking of rational thought. If only Cleopatra could just face the angry Antony, everything would be okay. If only Antony didn't try to kill himself, he would still be alive living together with his lover.I think this is a lesson to be learned by everyone. Yes, we would do need an ounce of drama to spice up our life, but do get a grip, okay?